Current Ukrainian Speaker says he is ready to head the Government

13:01, 30 March 2016

Bidding for the Cabinet went to the final stage. This week parliament speaker Volodymyr Greusman was officially nominated first by Yuri Lutsenko, and later by the Party Congress for the post of prime minister, and March 29 at the head of the parliament has all the chances to return to the government. Despite a number of opponents of his appointment.

On Thursday, March 24 the leader of the pro-presidential faction Yuriy Lutsenko, after several weeks of negotiations reported on the nomination of Volodymyr Greusman as a candidate for the post of Prime Minister, adding that there would be no votes for the Prime Minister Natalia Yaresko in Parliament.

"Leader of the Block of Petro Poroshenko (BPP) stated that they considered the option of a technocratic government, but did not find the necessary number of votes. Accordingly, they proposed a variant of party government, and Volodymyr Greusman could head it,” MP Victoria Syumar told the journalists.

In the case of the loss of “his prime minister,” it is planned, that the "People’s Front" would get the chair of the Speaker of Parliament, which is available with the resignation of Greusman. Only current First Vice-Speaker Andriy Parubiy can fire him.

The Head of the Parliament on the same day has told leaders of factions, whom he would like to see in the government team. Among these people were former Finance Minister of Slovakia Ivan Miklos, as well as the current deputies of Minister of Economic Development and Trade Aivaras Abromavičius Maksym Nefedov and Julia Kovaliv.

On Friday Greusman’s candidacy was supported at a closed congress of BPP. The same day the Head of the Parliament gathered the heads of the factions to present himself as a candidate for the post of head of government. According to official data, the program potential prime minister discussed during the meeting. However, MP Mustafa Nayem stated the speaker of parliament was discussing the future composition of the government, not the program.

Speaker, in turn, said he was ready to lead the Cabinet. And last week it seemed that the deputies are not against such a decision. According to our sources in Parliament, in the evening of March 24 more than 200 people's deputies were ready to support the Speaker of Parliament. Our interlocutors claimed that by "March 29, the required number of votes to vote for Greusman will be found.”

New Political Cabinet

The battles for the ministerial chairs continues. According to our sources in the Verkhovna Rada and the Presidential Administration, in the government of Greusman we might see ex-Finance Minister of Slovakia Ivan Miklos, who is expected to combine the post of deputy prime minister and Minister of Economic Development. Natalia Yaresko might serve as Minister of Finance. As explained by our interlocutors, Ukraine largely receives funds from international financial organizations thanks to Yaresko.

Another ministers, according to the preliminary agreement, will stay in their chairs. For example, it is assumed that Pavlo Rozenko will continue to work with the Ministry of Social Policy. It is worth noting that in his chair claimed the ex-head of the Ministry of Lyudmyla Denysova. Under the question remains of Volodymyr Demchyshyn’s post in the Ministry of Energy. On the one hand, his candidacy is allegedly agreed. However, participants in the meeting with Groisman, held last week, were claiming that the current speaker does not "see Demchyshyn in his office." Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs, Pavlo Petrenko and Arsen Avakov, to keep their seats.

Current head of the faction "People's Front" Maksym Burbak might become the new head of the Ministry of Infrastructure. At the same time, according to sources, the current Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture Vyacheslav Kyrylenko will not be in the new government. Ex-Minister Yevhen Nyshchuk pretends in his chair. The current Minister of Education Serhiy Kvit might be replaced with Lilia Grinevich, the probability of destination Grinevich is 70%. It is also said the appointment of People's Deputy Cabinet Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze and the deputy head of the AP Dmitry Shymkiv. Klympush-Tsintsadze has already confirmed that the possibility of appointment of Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Greusman was discussed.

The approval of candidates from BPP faction in the new government is planned for today. And today they will be discussed with the President of Petro Poroshenko.

However, there is no final clarification of voting for the prime minister and the new governmentt. MP Serhiy Leshchenko said that "the fraction BPP was not going to put forward the candidacy of Greusman." According to the predictions of Lutsenko, vote on the new government could take place on Thursday.

At the same time, it is unclear whether the current prime minister will voluntarily leave. Arseniy Yatsenyuk, speaking about the resolution of the political crisis in Ukraine, said he is "ready to take all the necessary decisions", but added that "sees no alternative to the program of the current government. For its part, the same party Yatsenyuk and Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov said the need to reformat the government and proposed the appointment of Natalia Yaresko first deputy prime minister.

The issue with Greusman is a special thing to be shown in Washington – says our source in BBP. Poroshenko’s visit to Washington is planned on March 30.

On Monday, after a meeting of the conciliatory council of the parliament, Speaker of Parliament Greusman said he expects a vote on his candidacy in the current week. However, this question is not on the agenda, despite repeated demands of Yulia Tymoshenko. "Consultations," explained Greusman. According to him, the issue will be considered by the Rada, as soon as a solution is found.